Volume 90, Issue 1,
January 2008

Recent research shows that the cultural remnants of a more distant past were more faithfully preserved in sub-Saharan Africa than in the societies further north. Striking parallels between extant African cultures and written (as well as oral) testimonies concerning ancient Near Eastern societies can be detected. It becomes clear that in the period preceding the textual evidence of the Middle Ages, African societies were not isolated or self-contained, but that instead they took part on various levels in global exchange. Historians are inclined to attach considerable importance to written sources, while they tend to disregard the stories that are orally transmitted. Lange (and others) disregard the present trend of research (i.e. an African perspective of the African past) and adopt a comparative perspective which leads to the conclusion that the oral traditions which trace the origin of some African states or cultures to the ancient Near East are basically correct.

This article looks at the two opposing models of divine virginity in Aeschylus' portrayal of the Furies and Athena in the Oresteia trilogy. I argue that the model of Athena provides the corrective for the problematic one represented by the Furies. The concatenation of events starting with Helen's adultery, culminating in the Furies' clamour for vengeance is resolved by Athena. Athena functions as the ideal, albeit, impossible and artificial, female who resolves all tensions culminating in the final play. The Ερινύες or Furies occupy a problematic archetypal space in Aeschylus' trilogy: appearing initially as chthonic virgins, while maintaining paradoxical links with the promiscuous Clytemnestra both in their depiction and function. Athena solves this paradox in the Eumenides when she radically transforms them, or, more precisely, reinvents them at the end of the work. The Furies are eradicated, renamed as the 'Kindly Ones' and linked to Athena in nature and function.

The various roles of Daniel in different literary sources have until now, not been researched in a comprehensive way. This would include the mythological, canonical and apocryphal Daniel. One reason for this absence is the dogmatical prejudice against extra-canonical texts of Daniel. This article has an inclusive approach as the roles of Daniel was investigated in different all types of literature. The oldest text was investigated first followed chronologically to the youngest. It was found that Daniel surfaced mainly as a weapon for attack and defense in sticky situations. The significance of Daniel in the present age was discussed.

The present paper provides not only a transcription of a poem on Susanna (of the Apocrypha) drawn from a Medieval manuscript, but also a metrical translation with a philological discussion on the contents. The great turning point in the Apocryphal story of Susanna is the response of the Lord to Susanna's claim of innocence when she was accosted by the evil elders: "The Lord heard her cry" (v. 44). Daniel then emerges as the human being by which Susanna's innocence is proved. She is thus delivered from death and restored to her family. The message in the Susanna story is that God will vindicate the innocent victim. This episode illustrates the power of faith and trust in the Lord and of the power of prayer in the midst of all the suffering. Furthermore, God's use of the wisdom of a human being is displayed in Daniel.

This article attempts the reconstruction of the character of Judas as created by Nikos Kazantzakis in his book The last temptation of Jesus Christ. The method applied is based on Shlomith Rimon-Kenan's view on character reconstruction in narrative fiction. In our case each event, action and behaviour involving Judas is examined in the framework of the writings by Matthew and of relevant factual, historical information.

Imagery in the Fourth Gospel mainly consists of metaphors that are interrelated to form a network. The individual metaphors are linked on both syntactic and semantic levels. The cluster of images relating to "family" is the most essential set of images in the Fourth Gospel, but they are not the only ones. Already in the opening verses of the narrative of John 4 is the reader introduced to the macro metaphor of the family. This imagery links this pericope with the rest of the Fourth Gospel. What is significant in this pericope is that it introduces imagery of two families that are historically in conflict with each other. The two families are represented by the nameless Samaritan woman and Jesus the Jewish man. In this paper the metaphor of the family is used to compare the imagery that is represented by the real Samaritan and Jewish families in John 4. The family imagery in John 4 is therefore discussed on two levels: physical and metaphorical.

This article aims to analyze the different narratives implied in CS Lewis' The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. In order to do this, the Narrative Therapeutic Approach, as used by Epson and White, was applied to the book. This entails a whole set of criteria for analyzing narratives and exciting results emanated from the study. A clearly oppressive, dominant narrative and liberating challenging narrative were found. The externalized problems that were identified were a secularized England and foul ideologies. The solution to these problems was found to be the identification and reincorporation of the Lion of Judah. Thereby therapy was established. A narrative therapeutic reading proved to be a new and quite unique way of looking at the text.

Epigrammatic verse was predominantly composed in elegiac couplets; the reader of the iambic epigrams of Palladas of Alexandria (4th century CE) is therefore confronted by a mixing of genres. The epigram, originally an inscription on tomb or votive object, was celebratory in nature and purpose; the iambic form brings with it the element of psogos, scorn, mockery, censure, satire. This article examines the style, language and thought in the eighteen remaining iambic epigrams of Palladas to determine the nature of the iambic psogos.

The Virgin Mary, the Mother of Jesus Christ, in her intrinsic reality, has been honoured for centuries as the Theotokos as promulgated by the Third Ecumenical Council and plays a vital role in the Christian economy. The Orthodox Church, from its inception, emphasizes the Divinity of Christ in the Incarnation, the Logos, and our own Theosis as a consequence, it also stresses the Divine maternity of the Virgin Mary. The Theotokos, is integrally related to Christ and the Body of Christ that is the Holy Church or Bride of Christ. The Virgin Mary is thus an integral part of the liturgical prayer life and Sacred Tradition of the Orthodox Church. Mary, was the name of six women in the New Testament, including the Mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, the sister of Lazarus, the wife of Cleopas, the mother of Mark, and a Christian woman in Rome. We refer to the Mother of Jesus as the "Virgin Mary" in order to distinguish her from the other five. Christians of whichever denomination believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and that He is also God, being the 2nd Person of the Triune Godhead, along with God the Father and the Holy Spirit. Jesus is however also the son of the Virgin Mary. How can one thus say "Mary, Mother of Jesus," but not accept "Mary, Mother of God"? Why is the Virgin Mary the Theotokos a sign of God's Mercy to humankind?

Byzantine culture and art were essentially religious in character and the primary aim of Byzantine art was to capture what was holy and mysterious in a concrete form such as icons. In this article the functions and status of Archangel Michael as 'icon' are examined in a Greek Orthodox context and parallel characteristics found in the Byzantine and Post-Byzantine icons are compared with these in modern-day society. For this purpose, three 'modern icons' are selected and analysed.

Among the religions of antiquity two of the most vibrant expressions of oracular activity were to be found in Judaism and the cults of Apollo. In the first century AD a sect arose within Judaism that believed a prophet called Jesus was the messiah. As this movement grew and spread geographically, particularly to Asia Minor and Greece, its followers were mainly hellenized Jews and Gentiles. Prophecy was to comprise an important dimension within nascent Christianity, and early Christian literature often mentions prophecy and its use within the churches. The contextual background of such activity for Gentile believers was not Judaism but rather the Mediterranean oracular cults, especially the cults of Apollo. This paper will explore various convergences and divergences regarding their respective oracular activity. It will also examine the sociological and theological hallmarks distinguishing the cults of Apollo and early Christianity. The paper concludes by elucidating the result of the collisive intersection between these religious movements that occurred in the late Roman period.

The communal prayer of Acts 4:23-31 is read from its narrative perspective. The narrator presents the prayer as a verbatim account of what was originally said. He interprets the events before and following the prayer as predetermined by God in Psalm 2. A master narrative governing the progress of history, as proceeding from a period of prophecy to that of fulfilment is propagated. God is portrayed as using human mouths to speak God's words, and to intervene in history through signs and miracles. It is concluded that the narrative perspective be viewed with suspicion, opening up new and exciting possibilities to confront our own mortality and find meaning in life.

Old Testament theology has a long history and the last words have not been written about it. This article reflects on what happened in this field of research and is still happening. Furthermore an attempt is made to address issues that should be considered when one endeavours doing or writing Old Testament theology. Some ideas are presented in the article as fundamentals that should be considered in the process of theologising with the Old Testament text as point of departure. The article aims at showing the demanding task scholars embark on in engaging the text of the Old Testament for theological purposes.

In this article, Byzantium's meaning for African history and civilization will be examined. It is therefore necessary to clearly define the genesis of the Byzantine State and its characteristics, because these elements are exactly the factors that have played an important role - for a while - in North Africa, and -for many centuries - in North-East Africa.

In this article the eschatological views of the theologians of the second century are being studied. The early Church Fathers never treated the theme of eschatology systematically and it is impossible to neatly categorize their thoughts on eschatology, or to identify a logical model of consistent eschatology. Nevertheless, the eschatological views of the ancient theologians were an important aspect of early Christian theology.

This article provides a contemporary reading of Euripides' drama, the Alcestis, through the practical application of Wittgenstein's method of Gloss Analysis. The main problem investigated is how Euripides treats the motif of love in the Alcestis. This problem is approached by way of an analysis of the function of language. More specifically, emphasis is placed on the role of metaphorical language in order to show up the tensions in a classical marriage. Through Gloss Analysis the use of metaphors is illuminated, and this reveals the function of the patriarchal value system and how it failed in the classical era.

The aim of this article is to provide an illustration of the preaching method employed by the great Byzantine poet-preacher, Romanos the Melodist. In an introductory section the kontakion as literary genre is defined, relating to its name, its external and literary form. The introduction is concluded with a short description of the two main aspects of Romanos' exegetical presentation of the biblical text: elaborated narrative or story telling and dramatization. In the second part of the article the homiletic art of Romanos is illustrated by showing how he has presented read and preached the parable of the rich man and Lazarus related in Luke 16.19-31. After an overview of the structure of Luke 16.19-31, the homily - 'On Dives and Lazarus' is analyzed in the form of both commentary and an annotated translation of the homily. In the conclusion to the article, attention is also drawn to the use of imagery and antithesis as technique to delineate his two main characters.

In this article, the authors examine the 'feudal' structures of the 'state' of the Tocco. There are three categories. Firstly there are the purely feudal structures, referring to the feudal dependence of the Tocco vis-à-vis Western overlords, their attempt to establish a feudal state in Western Greece, and the consequences hereof as well as their own western-type overlordship over their (Italian) vassals. At the other hand, there are (perhaps more) structures that can be considered as quasi- or pseudo-feudal. In these categories enter almost all forms of relationships of dependence involving local Greek archontes, Albanian chiefs, the local clergy and the local peoples of different ethnic origin.

Much of the problems underlying the tension between faith and scholarship, church and academia, piety and Bible scholarship lie in the way exegesis and spirituality have been either combined or separated. Often, the ways in which exegesis and spirituality are either combined or separated create more problems than resolutions. In this paper, reasoned from within the emerging discipline of Biblical Spirituality, these problems are argued, and some proposals made.